Dear Brother,"the gate is norrow"! In your interpretations of Scripture the gate to heaven is WIDE ,its the cakewalk and the gate to hell is NARROW-hardly anyone will go into hell. You have turned our Lord,s words upside down!
Why do you think that I am saying that few will go to hell?
The opposite is true, too many are going to hell for rejecting the free gift of salvation (Rom.5:16-18) by adding their own works to it.
That is a false Gospel that Paul calls anathama in Gal.1.
So what part of 'free' is that you do not understand?
If someone offered you something for 'free' and than stated that you had to spend the rest of your life working to earn it, you would call that person a liar and fraud.
That is exactly what any religious system that does that rejects what Christ offered freely (Jn.7), by adding to it what they think the gift should really cost.
Salvation is free and that means no works are necessary to have it or to keep it because the price of it is beyond human payment!
So all attempts to 'help' God with works are arrogrance and are rejected by God as such.
I,ll pray for you.
Thank you, that is very kind of you.
Just don't say any Hail Mary's for me!
Perhaps you,re confusing selfish works with works abiding in Christ. Works of love means we are doing what God has WILLED for us,thus we are cooperating with God- not for the good of oneself but for the good of others.
This is pleasing to God.Right?
Selfish works are useless because there is nothing we can do outside of abiding in Christ for self gain that will not be revealed to God.
These works are as filthy rags
Here is an example where lack of work might cost you your Salvation...
If you pass by a hungry family on the street and you have the ability to help them and do nothing and you continue to do nothing every time a situation like this arises.
I think its possible that one COULD lose Salvation for doing nothing.
Lets look at what Scriptures say about WORKS....
“WORK as a preacher of the Gospel, fulfill your ministry.” 2Tim 4:5
“WORK for upbuilding and not for destruction.” 2Cor 13:10
“WORK from the heart as for the Lord, and not for men.” Col 3:23
“WORK out your salvation with fear and trembling.” Phil 2:12. See also 1Cor 9:24-27.
“For His workmanship we are, created in Christ Jesus in GOOD WORKS, which GOD has made ready beforehand that we may walk in them.” Eph 2:10
“And if you invoke as Father him who without respect of persons judges according to each one’s WORK, conduct yourselves with fear in the time of your sojourning.” 1Pet 1:17
“There are just men and wise men, and their WORKS are in the hand of GOD.” Eccl 9:1
“...who will render to every man according to his WORKS.” Rom 2:6
“But their end will be according to their WORKS.” 2Cor 11:15
“For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the DOERS of the law shall be justified.” Rom 2:13
“For GOD shall bring every WORK into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” Eccl 12:14
“Tribulation and anguish shall be visited upon the soul of every man who works evil; of Jew first and then of Greek. But glory and honor and peace shall be awarded to everyone who does good to Jew first and then of Greek.” Rom 2:9-10
“...we should love one another; not like Cain, who was of the evil one, and killed his brother. And wherefore did he kill him? Because his own works were wicked, but his brother’s just.” 1Jn 3:11-12
“But if anyone builds upon this foundation, gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hat, straw, the work of each will be made manifest, for the Day of the Lord will declare it, since the day is to be revealed in fire. The fire will assay the quality of everyone’s WORK: if his work abides which he has built thereon, he will receive his reward; if his work burns he will lose his reward, but himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.” 1Cor 3:13-15
These four preceding verses lay it on the line that every one’s works will surely be tested, and reward or punishment will follow.
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord’, shall enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who DOES THE WILL OF MY FATHER in heaven shall enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matt 7:21
“Now we know that GOD does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of GOD, AND DOES HIS WILL , him He hears.” John 9:31
“But why do you call Me, ‘Lord, ‘Lord’, and do not practice the things that I say?” Luke 6:46
“But he who does the truth comes to the light that his deeds may be made manifest, for they have been performed in GOD.” John 3:21
“Esteem them with a more abundant love on account of their work.” 1Thes 5:13
“If anyone, therefore, has cleansed himself from these, he will be a vessel for honorable use, sanctified and useful to the Lord, ready for every good WORK.” 2Tim 2:21
“Let them do good and be rich in good works, giving readily, sharing with others.” 1Tim 6:18
“This saying is true, and concerning these things I desire you to insist, that they who believe in GOD may be careful to excel in GOOD WORKS.” Tit 3:8
“And let out children also learn to excel in GOOD WORKS, in order to meet cases of necessity, so that they may not be unfruitful.” Tit 3:14
“...looking for the blessed hope and glorious coming of our great GOD and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us that He might redeem us from all iniquity and cleanse for Himself an acceptable people, pursuing GOOD WORKS.” Tit 2:13-14
“Yes, working together with Him we entreat you not to receive the grace of GOD in vain... On the contrary, let us conduct ourselves in all circumstances as GOD’s ministers, in much patience; in tribulations, in hardships, in distress; in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults; in labors...”
2Cor 6:1,5
“May you walk worthily of GOD and please Him in all things, bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of GOD.” Col 1:10
“Bear one another’s burdens, and so you will fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks himself to be something, whereas he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let everyone test his OWN WORK, so he will have glory in himself only, and not in comparison with another. For each one will bear his own burden.” Gal 6:2-5
“And they who have DONE GOOD shall come forth unto the resurrection of life; but they who have done evil unto resurrection of judgment.” John 5:29
“If you know that he is just, know that everyone also who DOES what is just has been born of Him.” 1John 2:29
“Therefore, he who knows how to DO GOOD, and does not do it, commits a sin.” Jam 4:17
This is called the sin of omission. Matt 25:37-40 has more examples of sins of omission.
“And concerning these (evil works) I warn you, that they who do (evil works) such things will not attain the kingdom of GOD.” Gal 5:21 (read from verse 16 for context).
“But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore where you have fallen, and repent and do the former works; or else I will come to you, and will move your lamp-stand out of its place, unless you repent.” Rev 2:4-5
“I KNOW YOU WORKS; you have the name of being alive, and you are dead. Be watchful and strengthen the things that remain, but which were ready to die. For I do not find your works complete before my GOD.” Rev 3:1-2
“Alexander, the coppersmith, has done me much harm; the Lord will render him according to his deeds.” 2Tim 4:14
“My dear children, let us not love in word, neither with the tongue, but in deed and in truth.”
1Jn 3:18
“I KNOW YOUR WORKS, your faith, your love, your ministry, your patience, and your last works, which are more numerous than the former.” Rev 2:19
“And I heard a voice from heaven saying, ‘Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord henceforth. Yes, says the Spirit, let them rest from their labors, FOR THEIR WORKS FOLLOW THEM’.” Rev 14:13
The works which you do in this life will follow you forever.
“I KNOW YOUR WORKS and your labor and your patience, and that you cannot bear evil men;” Rev 2:2
“And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and scrolls were opened. And another scroll was opened, which is the Book of Life; and the dead were judged out of those things that were written in the scrolls, ACCORDING TO THEIR WORKS.” Rev 20:12
“And her children I will strike with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches desires and hearts, and I will give to each of you according to your WORKS.” Rev 2:23
“Behold, I come quickly! And My reward is with Me, to render to each one ACCORDING TO HIS WORKS.” Rev 22:12
“And the world with its lust is passing away, but he who does the will of GOD abides forever.” 1John 2:17
“And he who overcomes, and who keeps My works unto the end, I will give authority over the nations.” Rev 2:26
“I know your works, Behold, I have caused a door to be opened before you which no one can shut, for you have scanty strength, and you have kept My word and have not disowned My name.” Rev 3:8
Dear Brother,
You really need to stop calling Orthodox a dead faith and Catholicism a cult.
This is NOT coming from the Holy Spirit,it is coming from an evil spirit.
I tell you this out of love and concern.
I,m willing to accept you as a separated Brother.
I wish you a Blessed evening!